1) GET REAL:
You know that the meat and dairy industries are one of the most
powerful forces of deception in our world and that consuming their products
destroys our health, the environment, and the lives of billions of animals
every year.

2) GET READY:
to have more energy, to lose weight, to look and feel great.
The change you are about to make is not a fad diet; it is a life-long
commitment to your body and soul and the welfare of all living things.
If you're not ready to quit "cold turkey," begin by eliminating
red meat, hamburgers, hot dogs, sausage, and bacon; when you feel comfortable
and seek further detoxification, eliminate chicken, turkey, and fish.
For ultimate health benefits, environmental contributions, and moral consistency,
you may soon wish to go vegan and eliminate all dairy products from your
diet, including milk, cheese, eggs, and butter, while exploring the wonderful
substitute products available (see below).

3) GET INFORMED:
because you're taking charge of your own health, and everyone
around you, especially your family and friends are going to belittle and
harass you for breaking from their paradigm of ignorance and alienation.
You have to know the facts and be prepared to refute the myths and falsehoods
that most people have internalized since birth without any questioning
or knowledge whatsoever. But take heart, because the truth and science
are on your side! Make reading about food, vitamins, herbs, and related
topics a new hobby. Learn more about strengthening your immune system
and say goodbye to colds and the flu. A good way to start is to call
the Physician's Committee For Responsible Medicine for a free "vegetarian
starter kit": 202-686-2210 (ext. 300).

4) GET ORGANIZED:
because the adventure you're embarking on is that of cooking
with fresh, wholesome, (ideally) organic foods. Here are some important
steps to take:

a) Buy some good
vegetarian cookbooks; there are dozens of good ones available at any
decent bookstore. There are numerous cookbooks featuring quick and easy
meals (see below). It's always good to find those cookbooks with pictures
to see what appeals to you and to have some sort of model to judge your
results by.

b) There are
lots of great boxed, canned, and frozen veggy meals, but to save money
cook from scratch.

c) Always have
two or three recipes in hand when you go shopping so you'll have definite
things to prepare. Keep a list of your favorite recipes and always try
new things; don't be disappointed if some recipes don't quite work out
and don't be surprised when most do!

d) Make sure
you have all the cooking utensils you'll need for cooking and storing
a variety of dishes. One crucial thing to have is lots of plastic storage
containers so you can easily store soups, salads, etc.

e) Always keep
basic items well stocked, such as rice, couscous, pasta, canned tomatoes,
beans, veggy burger mix, and spices; that way you can always improvise
and be able to cook most things with whatever you have on hand. You
can use empty pasta sauce bottles and other glass jars to store these
items.

f) Keep a close
eye on your frig. Use whatever foods are starting to go bad immediately;
a great thing to do with aging vegetables is to make a soup or stir-fry.

g) Buy organic
when possible; it's more expensive, but sometimes not significantly
so. When you don't buy organic, clean your fruit and vegetables with
a good pesticide remover or just soak in dishsoap and water and rinse
well.

5) GET CREATIVE:
learn how to make healthy substitutes with soy analogues for
your old meat-based food choices; e.g.:

a) use egg-replacer
for eggs

b) use soymilk
in place of milk (there are different flavors and low-fat kinds)

c) use soy margarine
instead of butter or regular margarine (non- hydrogenated "Spectrum"
is the best)

d) try soy ice
cream and soy cheese

e) use veggy-burgers,
chili, hotdogs, turkey, pepperoni, etc., in place of meat

f) try TVP (textured
vegetable protein) for a very convincing meat substitute, especially
good with veggy-tacos and spaghetti "meat" sauce

g) if you don't
have a good grocer nearby, you can always buy alternative products online,
at sites like www.nomeat.com

II. SOME
GOOD BOOKS ON DIET, HEALTH, ETHICS, COOKING, AND PROBLEMS WITH THE GLOBAL
MEAT CULTURE